Posted: 2/6/2023 9:05:07 PM EDT
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Best, smallest and quietest inverter generator for running a 30 AMP RV? AC is a must have. Thanks for recommendations and reviews. |
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Be RV's for going on 2 decades... most RV 30 amp systems are going to need at least 3000 watts to "start" the ac... so you are going to need something in the 3200 +/- range to start and run it.. UNLESS you have your ac set up with a easy start capacitor that will help get it going with a less powerful unit. The mini 2000 watt gen sets are not going to get you there. We've actually had good luck with the lower price "Pulsar" brand.. starts, runs, several hundred hours on 2 different units.. no complaints. amazon Pulsar 4000 watt for $649 |
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Harbor Freight 3500w inverter. Or buy 2 2000w inverters with a parallel kit. Reasonable price and reliability, and does the job fairly quietly. Not too heavy either, especially with 2 people. I’ve used it several times Keep in mind that some parks and campgrounds don’t allow them |
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I have read about people installing a Soft Start, and then they are able to run the A/C on a 2kw generator. https://www.softstartrv.com/ |
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Originally Posted By GlockfanUT: A pair of Honda EU2200i generators is what you seek… I don’t hate the idea of a pair of generators in a series. Many times when AC is not needed I would have the ability to reduce noise and fuel consumption. I don’t love the idea of buying to $Honda$ units. |
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I've got one of the champion duel fuel 2500watt generators. You can get a parallel kit for it. Runs great on propane if you don't want to carry gas cans. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Champion-Power-Equipment-2500-Watt-Recoil-Start-Ultra-Light-Portable-Gas-and-Propane-Powered-Dual-Fuel-Inverter-Generator-with-CO-Shield-201122/318783386 |
| Installed the MicroAir Easystart on 2 travel trailer AC units, I think around 12-13K BTU Dometics. On both trailers, I could start and run the ACs with a Honda 2200W inverter generator with no issue. Actually, the first trailer had the older Honda 2000W inverter generator. Of course, had to turn off the AC to use a hair dryer, microwave, or curling iron, but that was just normal generator load management. The easystart units were simple to install and cost around $300. |
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Looks like I need a soft start for my trailer!! We have a Champion 3250/4500 watt generator, and at anything above 7000 feet, it struggles to run the A/C. I also have two 2200 watt I run together, and they won't run it at altitude, either. But, the Champion is old, so I've been looking for a reason to get something newer with electric start, and an inverter as well. |
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Originally Posted By gfunk: I’ve been using a harbor freight predator 3500 with great success the past couple of years with our travel trailer. Are you satisfied with the noise level? |
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Originally Posted By turfengineer: Are you satisfied with the noise level? Originally Posted By turfengineer: Originally Posted By gfunk: I’ve been using a harbor freight predator 3500 with great success the past couple of years with our travel trailer. Are you satisfied with the noise level? Mine is pretty loud. We try to put it a good ways away from the trailer when we use ours. Our little Yamaha can literally be under the trailer, and you can barely hear it. |
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Originally Posted By kevhogAZ: Looks like I need a soft start for my trailer!! We have a Champion 3250/4500 watt generator, and at anything above 7000 feet, it struggles to run the A/C. I also have two 2200 watt I run together, and they won't run it at altitude, either. But, the Champion is old, so I've been looking for a reason to get something newer with electric start, and an inverter as well. A soft start isn't going to help with running, just getting it started. Most small generators can't handle the startup surge of AC units, the soft start spreads that surge out over time to help them get it going and they don'tdo anything else after it's started. If your generators struggle while the AC is running they will still struggle and the only solution is a bigger generator. |
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If you want the best HONDA If you want to save some bucks install a Micro air EasyStart and then you can run the AC from a single 2200w gen |
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Originally Posted By EERN: If you want the best HONDA If you want to save some bucks install a Micro air EasyStart and then you can run the AC from a single 2200w gen Looking at both Honda's, the 3200 is not much bigger and 10 lbs heavier than the 2200. The nice part of the 3200 is I can run the AC and a few other things. But the 2200 is much cheaper ($2599 vs about $12-1300) and if running the AC will i really have much else going? Sure you can do the companion thing but that takes up a lot more room. Damn 1st world problems. |
My Sister....."Damn girl, get over it, we have all had to get on our knees and suck a dick to get what we wanted."
Great Aunt Florence..."Life is too short to drink cheap booze"
Great Aunt Florence..."Life is too short to drink cheap booze"
| In reality you can get the AC running for a total of about 1500 (2200 generator + EasyStart) this option will also have some unaccounted for benefits, such as powering the AC from a regular 15A house outlet lets say when you have the RV at your house and are loading it up for a trip or cleaning the interior its nice to have the air on so its not stifling in there. My wife always yells about spending the money but after the fact she always apologizes and loves all my craziness LOL |
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Originally Posted By turfengineer: I don’t hate the idea of a pair of generators in a series. Many times when AC is not needed I would have the ability to reduce noise and fuel consumption. I don’t love the idea of buying to $Honda$ units. While I am not a fan of the price tag, seeing real world reviews of reliability and noise level pushed me to the Honda. I don't regret it. |
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Originally Posted By Kubota3430: Looking at both Honda's, the 3200 is not much bigger and 10 lbs heavier than the 2200. The nice part of the 3200 is I can run the AC and a few other things. But the 2200 is much cheaper ($2599 vs about $12-1300) and if running the AC will i really have much else going? Sure you can do the companion thing but that takes up a lot more room. Damn 1st world problems. It seems you could run dual 2200 Hondas for the same price and one 3200, and have 1200 extra watts on hand, and have more flexibility. |
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On a side note, for A/C, I'm doing a small cargo trailer conversion and want to add inexpensive A/C. The only feasible spot in the wall, is in the front wall, that could be an issue for trailering in rain unless it's well sealed. Has anyone taken a window unit and put it in a box of sorts with air ducts to direct the air flow to a different area? I'm thinking it could be mounted in a sound insulated box under the bed and route the exhaust through the floor, and cold air up the wall to more evenly cool. |
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Originally Posted By madwis15: It seems you could run dual 2200 Hondas for the same price and one 3200, and have 1200 extra watts on hand, and have more flexibility. Thought about that, even made cardboard templates for generator sizes to figure out compartment space. That extra 2200w generator takes up a lot more room. But with that said most of the time we do not need a generator as we are at a campground. We usually do not need the A/C either as we like to go to the coast mostly. So the 2200 allows microwave and toaster use at the same time, no big problem using one at a time either. IF we are using the AC we are probably using nothing else other than a few LED lights. Cooking outside and Refrigerator on LPG. So bottom line 2200w will likely cover us 80%+ of the time, maybe 90% of the time. Then we can save a few $$$. If we go somewhere in the summer and likely needing the AC and then some, for the same money as the 3200, we can have two 2200's with a bunch of power. Damn 1st world problems. 
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My Sister....."Damn girl, get over it, we have all had to get on our knees and suck a dick to get what we wanted."
Great Aunt Florence..."Life is too short to drink cheap booze"
Great Aunt Florence..."Life is too short to drink cheap booze"
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I have a 4500 watt Champion Inverter. It’s great, except it’s bulky, and often we only need the power that a 2000W inverter supplies. Seriously contemplating going with (2) 2000W or 2500W Champion inverters and a parallel kit for ease of portability and fuel efficiency. Having the one large unit that does everything is nice, but being able to run just a single 2000W inverter would be ideal for running a space heater all night when camping in the snow and all the small miscellaneous power needs we would have. In the summer when we need some A/C from time to time, run them both. |
From the days when all the gun rags touted the RRA DEA rifle as the greatest ever. Those were the days when Magpul made magpuls, Bushmaster was Tier 1, Eotechs and vertical grips were awesome!
| I have a Champion dual-fuel 4500 and I love it. |
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